Poe wants Senate probe with airport execs over NAIA runway incident

Manila, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe on Sunday said that
she wants to file a Senate resolution to seek explanation from the management
of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) over the runway mishap
caused by Chinese airline.

The senator said that NAIA should explain why it took two
days to remove the Chinese plane that blocked its main runway, causing delays to hundreds of flights.

Poe, chair of the Senate public services committee said that
she would file a resolution on Monday, directing her panel to probe the airport’s
operational procedures in responding to emergency situations, as such.

"This is not the first time that a plane has skidded
off the runway and it certainly won't be the last," Poe said in a
statement.

(Translation: Why people were allowed to go to NAIA until it
was packed? Isn’t there any policy to notify the customers on incidents like
this? If there are free mobile disaster warnings, can’t they have free
cancelled flights alerts, on their own initiative?”

“The public deserves an acceptable explanation. This is
important, considering that NAIA remains the primary gateway for foreign
tourists into the country," the lawmaker added.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Manila
International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal, airline
executives and some affected passengers will be invited to join the Senate
hearing on the said incident, says Poe.

On the said Senate hearing, a resolution filed by Sen.
Sherwin Gatchalian on the status of Metro Manila airports and the government’s
plans on modernizing them will also be discussed.

Poe said that she also wants to get the status of the P350-billion
plan of a private consortium to rehabilitate and improve NAIA.